Method and system for detecting infeasible paths

Abstract

A method of testing a software program comprises obtaining path properties of an infeasible path, selecting a path from the software program and obtaining path properties of the selected path, wherein the method further comprises comparing path properties of the selected path to the path properties of the infeasible path to identify a target path and determine infeasibility of the target path.

1 . A method of testing a software program, the method comprising:
 obtaining path properties of an infeasible path;   selecting a path from the software program;   obtaining path properties of the selected path;   comparing path properties of the selected path to the path properties of the infeasible path to identify a target path; and   determining infeasibility of the target path.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein path properties of the infeasible path include at least one of flag-based inhibitor property and pair of shallow conflicting properties. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of comparing path properties of the selected path to the path properties of the infeasible path to identify a target path includes a step of executing a general program analysis to the software program. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the general program analysis comprises static program analysis. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising generating test data from the selected path to execute test cases. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising a step of executing an advanced analysis on the target path to determine the infeasibility of the target path. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the advanced analysis comprises symbolic evaluation. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein path properties are obtained from static analysis of the software program. 
     
     
         9 . A computer-readable storage medium comprising a plurality of computer readable program code portions, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:
 a first executable portion configured to
 select a path in a software program; 
 perform a general program analysis over the selected path; and 
 compare properties of the selected path to properties of infeasible path to identify a target path. 
   
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the first executable portion is configured to execute a static program analysis to the selected path. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the computer-readable program code portions further comprise a second executable portion configured to generate test data on the selected path to execute test cases. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the computer-readable program code portions further comprise a third executable portion configured to execute an advanced analysis on the target path to determine the infeasibility of the target path. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the third executable portion is configured to execute symbolic evaluation on the target path to determine infeasibility of the target path. 
     
     
         14 . A system to test a software program, the system comprising a comparison unit configured to:
 select a path in a software program;   execute a general program analysis over the selected path; and   compare properties of the selected path to properties of infeasible path to identify a target path.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the general program analysis comprises static program analysis. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising a test data generation unit configured to generate test data on the selected path to execute test cases. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising an advance analysis unit configured to execute an advanced analysis on the target path to determine infeasibility of the target path. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the advance analysis comprises symbolic evaluation.